Liberty Mine

Liberty Mine would be the name if the former Squaw Creek Mine in southern Indiana, owned by Alcoa Co. and Vigo Coal Operating Co., is reopened. The proposed surface mine would be located about 7.5 miles west of Boonville, off of New Harmony Road. Liberty has applied for a Section 401 Water Quality Certification to allow it to place fill into waters of the State of Indiana. According to an Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) notice released in April 2011, Liberty Mine plans to place the debris from the mine in nearby streams, forested and unforested wetlands, and open water. The issue is whether the proposed fill request meets regulations of Indiana under the Indiana Administrative Code (327 IAC 2) and other state laws, as well as the federal Clean Water Act. Affected areas include Squaw Creek and its tributaries as well as forested and unforested wetlands.

Bil Musgrave, a former coal miner, has raised objections to the permit, saying mining in that area will spread contamination from areas already contaminated from mining and will threaten the health of people and wildlife in the area. Millions of gallons of hazardous wastes were dumped at the site more than 30 years ago.

Mine Data

 * Owner:
 * Parent company: Alcoa Co. and Vigo Coal Operating Co.
 * Location: Boonville, IN
 * GPS coordinates:
 * Production:
 * Type of coal:
 * Mine type: Surface
 * Equipment:
 * Number of employees:
 * Recoverable Reserves:

Related SourceWatch articles
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